Vichaarkhaana

December 22, 2013

Ever had someone zealously insist you attend their wedding as if you
owed them some debt from a previous birth? Or assert that you confirm your
attendance right away as if their wedding ceremony would not be solemnised
without your presence? Polite invitations are sweet, the zealous assertions…not
so much. A couple of the latter have come my way this month. The trend of peers
getting married began in 2012 for me, and people have been getting married left,
right and centre since then! I suppose it will tide over by 2020 and
invitations would be flying thick and fast throughout this period, depending on
who does not read this post.

Confession: I have no interest in weddings or even the institution of
marriage. The former is an exercise in event management and the latter brings
nothing to the table in a relationship. This post is for whipping the wedding
wave.

Indian wedding ceremonies involve a bunch of religious rituals. Hindu
weddings tend to have a larger number of such rituals as compared to, say, Sikh
or Muslim ones. Whatever the wedding formalities may be, they require only the
bride, groom and a priest endorsing god’s representation in that ceremony. For
example, the sacred fire plays that representative in the Hindu ones. Unlike
court proceedings, which require human witnesses to register a marriage, the
religious ceremonies have no need for any other physical witnesses. Since “God” is your witness, the mortals can go
take a hike, if they want.

Often, that is not what they ‘want’. Our collectivistic cultural
tendencies manifest themselves in wedding ceremonies which offer the perfect
pretext to gather and make merry. Popular culture has influenced traditional
ceremonies to spread over ‘festivities’ lasting at least 2-3 days. The actual
‘wedding ceremony’ could be a matter of few minutes or some hours, but the
melee around it provides a great outing to our latent voyeur. ‘Sangeet’
and ‘Cocktail’ parties are ideal to satiate our mutual obsession with watching
women dance. The bride and groom have a perpetual grin plastered on,
irrespective of their backs hurting due to long hours of standing, bending to
greet the elders or high-heeled footwear.

Originally meant to be a ‘celebration of union’, wedding ceremonies have
ballooned into massive event management exercises. An act of unison between two
private individuals is turned into a colossal shindig swarming with
participants who have no imminent impact on this “union”. While being genuinely
happy for the soon-to-be-marrieds, I find such ‘celebrations’ to be utterly
dispensable and see no point in attending them. I despise the idea of watching
the ritual of “kanyadaan”, essentially an act akin to transfer of property, a.k.a the bride. It is quite inconvenient trudging over to faraway destinations and
I don’t eat at weddings. Not to mention the personal costs (time, money, et al)
involved in attending an impersonal event. I’d certainly drop everything and go
for a wedding if my services (of any kind) were solicited by those at the heart
of “the event”. But it’s really unfair expecting me to be a passive bystander in your
jamboree when I have other options to utilise my costs. I’d gladly spend hours
with the couple, bonding over fresh meals, laden with dollops of
laughter as we discuss the good (and even the not-so-good) things in life.

I prefer nurturing a personal relationship, instead of
marking my ‘attendance’ at a “wedding ceremony” so that the supremo can gloat
about their event management skills. *Scurrying off to RSVP!*

March 11, 2013

Presenting a sequel inevitably
lends itself to comparisons with the previous product, especially when you know
that the ‘sequel’ was created only after the first instalment garnered massive
accolades all over. It’s not as if the creator (director Tigmanshu Dhulia) had
an idea he would like to pan out over multiple outings (ala Nolan and the
Batman movies). Yes, one must always view an entity independently…blah blah…
and it would be quite unfair to compare Saheb
Biwi Aur Gangster Returns (SBAGR) with the preceding Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster (SBAG). Watching SBAGR made me realise how much I loved SBAG! Forgive me for
hopping back and forth between these films in this post, as I never really got
down to writing one exclusively on SBAG and will use this opportunity to do
that.

I have only vaguely read about
but not yet seen Guru Dutt’s classic Sahib
Biwi Aur Ghulam, the original which Dhulia adapted for Sahib Biwi Aur Gangster. Hence SBAG for me was a fresh film not
carrying any baggage from its inspiration. It was deliciously wicked, kept the
audience engaged and on the edge of
their seats! SBAGR, sadly, is too long, un-saucy and does not pack enough
punch. The decay of the erstwhile rulers is portrayed quite well but it is
stretched only to indulge the director’s sensibilities.

The writers of SBAGR must be
commended for some crackling dialogues and for seamlessly weaving in references
to real-life incidences (*spoiler alert!* porn-watching neta, MLAs being
whisked to seclusion just like how it is done after elections to prevent
horsetrading, lifestyle magazines featuring spreads on crumbling palaces and
interviews that evoke the erstwhile glamour and nostalgia of the ‘royal’ way of
life).

The songs of SBAGR are insipid
and barely do anything to forward the narrative OR entertain the viewers. An attempt
to spice up the proceedings via the customary ‘item song’ fails miserably as
Mugdha Godse is a totally wrong choice for it! Not only is she a hopeless
dancer but also, obviously, her cleavage does not make up for lack of
expressions! What could have been a fabulous satirical number given the
settings (think ‘Ranaji’ from Gulaal)
ends up being a forgettable comment on our media-crazy times. On the aside,
apparently the music of Dhulia’s films never really leave an imprint on us,
unlike Anurag Kashyap’s! Anyone remembers any songs from Haasil? Charas? SBAG
and SBAGR join the same league. That’s one thing consistent in Dhulia’s works!

SBAGR wraps up with a scope/ hint
for the third installation to be attempted in future. Best wishes to Dhulia and
team for hopefully making a film that will redeem this second movie. SBAG had
everyone involved bringing something interesting to the board which is kind of
missing from SBAGR. The former had menace that truly entertained but the latter
fails to make an impact of any kind. I’m craving to watch SBAG now!

Mandola
(yes, I absolutely refuse to call it MKBKM!) provides a crisp opportunity to observe
emotionally-wrenching depth conveyed with subtlety. When Bijlee goes looking
for Matru in the rain-washed, deserted village, she only shows him, from a distance, her freshly hennaed palms . Not a single word is uttered. The
sad-but-blank face of Anushka doesn’t even flinch. All the pathos of an unhappy
present and doomed future are spared their conversion to words and we are left
with just that one sight. That’s all.

Later on, when Matru is
packing his stuff to leave, Bijlee simply says, “I have started brushing in the
night”. No sentimental, mushy “I love you”-types expressing of love there. Just a simple dialogue, hinting at
the depth of attachment, belief and hope, binding these characters in an
unconventional yet romantic way. Economy of words has always been the forte of
the brains behind this film!

Finally, the thought
that did not leave my side since the very first viewing! Dialogues and actions
of the movie constantly reminded me of J C Scott’s “Weapons of The Weak”! This movie is an exercise in the display of
not just the arm-twisting tactics of the strong but also of the small stings that
are weapons of the weak. Here the haves do not have it all. The have nots do
not believe that what they have is insignificant in denting the haves, even if
minimally so.

An obvious example of
this was the usage of dung as cannonballs to disrupt ‘Operation Mao Mao/ Mow’. The villagers
may not be laced with technologically advanced options to counter the chemically-armed,
menacing son of the manipulating politician, but that did not prevent them from
devising a smart (even if stinky) plan to protect their lush crops from being
destroyed in the wake of midnight’s darkness. This was maximisng the usage of resources at their disposal, no matter how crude!

In their discussion
with the politician (representing the state that wants the land), Mandola (who
owns this land) and other officials (of the bureaucracy that will process this
deal), tillers indulge in ‘coercive bargaining’ (Guha 1987:2001) to get a
better price for their sacrifice (of land). Scott’s book demonstrates how…

In
Malaysia the state has become the main provider of valuable public goods but
has not succeeded in replacing the rural elites as patron at the village level.
Many of the material benefits distributed by the state are mediated by the
official party machine, which is controlled locally by landowning families
(Esmon 1987:311).

Similarly in Mandola, when Matru circumvents the village
patronage and attempts get a fair selling price for their wheat at the mandi (wholesale market), Mandola’s henchmen actively
intrude to prevent the sale from taking place. Strains of ‘coercive bargaining’
can also be identified in other (crisp) exchanges between Jalebi Devi and
Mandola, Mandola and Bijlee, Mandola and Matru, among others! In each of these
scenarios the ‘weak’ character plays his/her asset to their advantage while
bargaining for their personal benefits. The outcome of it may not always be entirely in
their favour, but that small foot in the door is not an insignificant gain either!

This has been a stellar comeback for VB who was showered with widespread criticism for his previous directorial venture, a movie both the Lady (http://dolcenamak.blogspot.in/2011/02/7-khoon-maaf-and-me.html) and me immensely enjoyed. In Mandola there shines the characteristic wicked
wit and sarcasm that comes from an evolved understanding of our evils. The ability
to communicate it with simplicity and deadpan humour is the forte of VB and
Gulzaar Sa’ab! Blessed are we to be living in the times that they are too!

January 11, 2013

(*SPOILER
Alert* this is not a review. Some implied puns of the film are ‘explained’ here.)

I could launch into a monologue of how much I love VB and the ability to
look past the obvious and appreciate the inappropriately-titled Matru Ki Bijli
Ka Mandola (MBKBM). Instead, i suggest you read Raja Sen's on it.

What
I will rather do is to claim that I could have walked into this movie during the
interval and watched the proceedings without itching to get any info on the
first half. Seriously! Come on, VB...आपका क्या जाता अगर आप हमारे time को थोड़ा और value देते और इस picture को ठीक length की बनाते ?! (exasperated
translation – ‘what would you have lost had you appreciated the value of the
viewer’s time and made this picture of the ‘proper’ length?!). Why indulge
yourself SO much, man?! Just because I have instituted a whole school in the
name of your style (and camp) of filmmaking, does not mean you’ll try my
patience like this, no?

Once
I have drawn the lines between the significance of first and second halves of
the film, it is easier to enjoy what VB has served us.

This is not escapist cinema. It is a wisely-written topical satire with multiple references to the times of our lives lurking from every frame and most dialogues. Two best examples of such dialogues are one each delivered by Shabana Azmi (personal development = country’s development) and Pankaj Kapur (I dream of development…).

VB
even gives us acceptable labels, replete with foul adjectives. “Commie B*****d”
and “Bourgeoisie B***h”. The world consists of only two kinds of people. Just
remove the gender-specific expletives at the end, and there we are! Those who
claim to be walking the grey middle path are only hiding their true colors. I certainly know the side I am on!

I
absolutely LOVED the humour. They jokes are small, not in-your-face and don’t
make you laugh-out-loud. Mostly, they sting…but there are enough of
them to keep the grin coming back. I got them all… ALL! Thank You, VB, for
doing a film that appreciates our understanding of subtlety and does not
insult the intelligence by making stuff so annoyingly in-your-face. This is exactly like what we say in Hindi - "रेशम से लपेट कर मारना"! (to wrap in silk and whip!). any intention of political correctness is thrown to the winds, as the dialogues do NOT refrain from names-dropping for conveying the messages loud and clear. everyone from the Ambanis to Sheila Dikshit to the 'babalog' of Indian politics make an appearance in the lines!

Apart from the obvious ‘Mao-Lenin’ references
that EVERYONE got, there were some others like: kursiyaan: chairs (political
power): cheers!, the “tubelight” lighting up when Badal FINALLY gets his Mum’s
hints at ‘Bijli’, and many more that I’ll continue to relish in my future
viewings of this film.

The
title of the film is unnecessarily long. While Jitesh Pillai may have found it interesting
(aeons ago on Twitter, and he speculated it to be Gulzaar Sa’ab’s influence on
VB), it didn’t really serve ANY purpose. This film is all about Mandola. The
man and the village. Matru and Bijli are supporting characters. They didn't need an endorsement in the title of the film! Nobody would have accused VB of
being partial if he had gone ahead with only “Mandola”, after all, that is the
only word that has an actual pun element to it!

Arya
Babbar does a good job of the moron he is supposed to play. The director gives
us just enough seconds to exclaim “gadha”
(ass/donkey) when Badal asks Mandola for how will he look in either choice of
sherwani for the wedding and Mandola says “you’ll look the same”!

Imran
Khan tries hard to justify VB’s choice of casting him and succeeds only till
the extent where he can’t convey the ruggedness of a Haryanvi to us. First we are told he studied law. Then JNU is thrust into our face, which will make most people to conclude, incorrectly, that he studied law at JNU. Since that is technically not possible, VB, why the mashup? would it take too much footage to give a clear idea of where he studied law?!

Anushka,
my love, does not get much meat to sink her teeth in, :-'(, but shines in a pre-climatic
scene meant to portray her helplessness as a pawn in the game of greed and
gain.

Shabana
Azmi is ‘delicious’ ;-)! Her last outing in a VB film was the creepily wicked witch-act in Makdee, a decade ago. To see traces of that wickedness
in some of the scenes here is delightfully satiating!

Pankaj
Kapur takes the cake…A-L-L of it! He is the heart, soul and spine of this film.
I’m so smitten by his character and acting that I’m not even qualified to sing
his paeans here!

So
unqualified I feel that I’ll not try to compose original lines for conclusion.
I’d much rather cite Mayank Shekhar for that…

In portions, the film becomes then a
somewhat literal, Leftist pamphlet, starring one of the leading men of
romantic movies (Imran Khan), coming out of the most Right Wing of all cinema
industries (Bollywood), funded by an American Fox Studio, owned by the
Australian magnate Rupert Murdoch. This is fine subversion on the part of the
filmmakers still…But then that’s also the beauty of capitalism, which this
fairly intelligent, amusing take acknowledges by its very own existence.